Lighting fixture



May 26,1942.' ORTH 2,284,534

' LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed May 1, 1941 INVENTOR RICHARD 0km! Patented May 26, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING FIXTURE Richard Orth, Philadelphia, Pa assignor to Gill Glass & Fixture-Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation Delaware Application May 1; 1941, semi No. 361,291

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to lighting fixtures.

The present invention contemplates fluorescent lighting fixtures of the type usually suspended below the ceiling and adapted for both direct and indirect lighting.

According to the present invention the body or the fluorescent lighting fixture which supports the lamp sockets and lamps is provided with end plates considerably wider than the spacing of the lamps and extending below the lamps. These end plates are employed to support side panels to be made of glass or other light dimming material, and these panels are preferably mounted so that they can be moved from an upper position where they hide or screen the lamps to a lower position where the lamps are accessible for replacement.

The present invention also contemplates lighting fixtures oi the type above referred to wherein Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 3-8 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified-form of construction. A

Where the fixture is intended to be mounted below the ceiling it is supported from a canopy such as indicated at l0. The fixture body includes a horizontal trough shaped sheet metal member II which supports downwardly and outwardly extending lamp sockets II. This troughlike member is provided with a cover indicated at It and is stiffened at the ends by cross straps M. It also has intermediate stiffening cross straps not shown.

End plates l5, ii are secured to the cross straps It by screws indicated at l6, l6 and by screws i1 passing throughthe body H and into lugs i8 integral with the end plates. It will be noted from the drawing that the end plates IS, IS extend laterally beyond the lamps I! carried in the sockets l2 and below these lamps.

section are pivotally secured to the lower part of the end plates I! by screws indicated at II. The plates have arcuate slots 22. Bolts 28 having thumb nuts, such as indicated, are secured to the end plates and pass through the slots 22. The

plates 20, 20 may be secured in the upper position, as shown in the front of Figure 1, and the left of Figure 2, or may be lowered to the position shown at the right of Figure 2 and at the rear of Figure 1. The plates 20, 20 support diffusing panels It usually made of glass and dec- Sheet metal plates 2a, 20 of L-shaped cross orated or rendered light difiusing in any convenient manner. They are held in place by clips bent over as indicated at 25.

The lower central part of the plates I! are provided with narrow inwardly extending flanges 28 employed for supporting a plurality of longitudinally extending glass tubes or rods 21. These rods close ed the gap between the side panels, allow, the downward transmission of light and sufiiciently break up the downwardly transmitted light to conceal the interior of the fixture. They also provide a desirable decorative feature of the fixture.

In the modification shown in Figure 4 the end .plate 30 is similar to the end plate I! but is carried down nearer to a point directly under the center of the fixture; The side panels 1|, II are pivoted, as indicated at 32, I2, and may be swung up and down in the same way as above described. Instead of closing oil the gap between the side panels with the glass rods or tubes the construction of Figure 4 contemplates the use of a metal piece 33 which may be supported in any convenient manner between the two end plates.

Where the fixture is intended for mounting close to the ceiling it will be mounted with the cover plate i3 adjacent the ceiling line.

Fixtures made as above described present a pleasing appearance whether lighted or unlighted and the lamps and interior of the fixture will be screened against observation. The panels .124 will act as reflectors to increase the indirect lighting component depending upon the reflection factor of the panels. They may be readily lowered for lamp renewal and for cleaning.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluorescent lighting fixture adapted for overhead mounting, a long, narrow horizontal body, end plates fixedly securedto the ends of the body and extending laterally at each'side of the body and below the body, pairs of fluorescent lamp socketsfixedly supported adjacent the end platesfor carrying fluorescent lamps outside the body and inside the edges of the end plates, fluorescent lamps in the sockets, movable plates pivotally secured to the end plates below the body and swingable about horizontal axes, light dir fusingpanels extending between and carried by the movable plates, the panels being close to the in the upper position to provide lateral screens for the lamps and being swingable downwardly to space them from the lamps ,to facilitate cleaning-and permit-lamp removal, and means to hold the 'movable plates in, either extreme position.

2. A fixture such as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable plates are generally triangular shaped pieces of sheet metal and have inwardly extending flanges against which the diflusinz panels are secured. r e

' RICHARD ORTH. 

